Looking for Drew Estate Subculture

[drew_goring]

Haven't posted in quite some time but "no longer around" may be putting it a bit strongly

Honestly the whole flavored vs infused thing is a mater of quality in my head. While both white owl and drew estate make non tobacco exclusive flavored cigars I would hardly call them the same. Vanillin is not vanilla, sunny delight is not oj and a twinkie is not a hand made cake with buttercream. I tend to imply "artificial" when i think "flavored" and "essential ois, herbs etc" when I think infused.

Back to the topic a bit; Anyone wanna trade me some Subcultures?

Sorry, I don't think many if any of us smoke flavored shitty cigars.

[Neko2]

Sorry, I don't think many if any of us smoke flavored shitty cigars.

Hence asking for Subculture vs. dutch masters.
I *do* smoke shitty handmade long filler premium tobacco flavored cigars.

Hoping to find folks who ended up with some and decided it wasnt their thing. Wasn't so much requesting a review tho...

[monkeylover]

Personally, I love Drew Estates cigars. I'm really not sure i understand the hostility toward the brand. i've been smoking for a good 3 years and have enjoyed this brand. the Acid 1 is an all time fav along with the Java Super Toro. for a daily smoker, i like to throw in the LVH and have tried most of them. as far as flavor vs infusion, i don't think this makes a difference. the acid, java, ambrosia, etc lines are different. does not make them bad smokes, just not to some peoples tastes. i think i have tried a good dozen CAO's from my local shop and every one of those pieces of junk has a tight draw. i don't get it. i've smoked my fair share of Gurkha, RyJ, Punch, LaGloria, etc, and they are not as consistent in smoke or flavor as a LVH. i've never been let down by one. smoked one the other day for the first time in about 2 months and was reminded of how fine a cigar it was. i wish i could spare some funky sub-culture but i only have 2 Def Sea left and i'm saving them. the rest are hard to find on the West Coast. i wish i was in the tax bracket to enjoy Monticristo or Graycliff, but can't afford other than giving myself a treat.

now, as far as our Drew Estates disliker earlier in the thread, well, he is bragging about driving a Dodge Neon. i really don't think i need to say more about his taste, but i wish him the best in smoking anyway.

[BigMacFU]

talk about raising the dead, what an old post. Anyway, the hostility is similar to what many food critics hate. When I order a steak, I want to taste the flavor of the meat, not a bunch spices or other things (a crab cake should taste of crab, not a whole bunch of fillings and mayo/tartar/caper sauce). Similarly, if I want to taste a cigar, I want to taste tobacco, unharmed tobacco, pure tobacco. A Drew Estate Acid and other similar cigars aren't about the tobacco, which means, the kind of tobacco they use can be of the crappiest quality because it's going to be flavored. There's no beauty or skill to appreciate then in the blending, the choice of tobacco, sungrown vs. maduro for a wrapper, all that stuff.

Now, if you don't care about the aesthetics, the artistry that went into a cigar, then this means a whole bunch of bubkis. Or even if you only care some of the times, then it's those times that you understand, a drew estates acid is just not a cigar, it's a larger flavored cigarette.

My second to last analogy is: compare your favorite meal at your favorite restaurant, go home and reproduce it. I'm sure what you have at home will taste fine. But, it won't be the same, the difference will be more than just the flavor too, because maybe you're a very good cook and you get the flavor very close, but you don't know that last secret ingredient; sure, it's close enough that when you do it at home it tastes good. But you still know, the meal from the restaurant is better, it has the secret ingredient that makes it as special as it is, plus you know that the chef who crafted the recipe put time and all sorts of considerations you probably couldn't think of, which make the meal that much more satisfying everytime you have it.

Last analogy: hostess cupcakes are amazing to a 6 year old and even for us occasionally, but we all know, there are many better desserts out there to be had, even all natural and chef produced versions of the hostess cupcake.

Now, I leave you with an example: buy a Drew Estates that tastes like chocolate. Now, smoke a Padron 1926 or '64 or Anniversary Maduro. Guess what, the latter have no chocolate flavoring added, that's just the pure art of blending and growing at work. I have no doubt which one you'll like more too.

Finally, if you just don't like the flavor of tobacco, then cigars aren't for you (not specifying the previous poster, but a generic "you") anyway. There are many, many 3-5 dollar smokes that I find much better than any flavored cigar. But, if you still prefer the flavored, then don't smoke cigars, you'll have a much better time smoking a pipe!

[The Korean]

I was once a Acid fan, don't know what other cigars you have had besides CAO, but trust me there are tons of fine cigars out there that are not flavored.


BTW-being a car/truck man also, that "Dodge Neon" isn't ones you see typically loaded up with milk and bread at the grocery store.

[drew_goring]

talk about raising the dead, what an old post. Anyway, the hostility is similar to what many food critics hate. When I order a steak, I want to taste the flavor of the meat, not a bunch spices or other things (a crab cake should taste of crab, not a whole bunch of fillings and mayo/tartar/caper sauce). Similarly, if I want to taste a cigar, I want to taste tobacco, unharmed tobacco, pure tobacco. A Drew Estate Acid and other similar cigars aren't about the tobacco, which means, the kind of tobacco they use can be of the crappiest quality because it's going to be flavored. There's no beauty or skill to appreciate then in the blending, the choice of tobacco, sungrown vs. maduro for a wrapper, all that stuff.

Now, if you don't care about the aesthetics, the artistry that went into a cigar, then this means a whole bunch of bubkis. Or even if you only care some of the times, then it's those times that you understand, a drew estates acid is just not a cigar, it's a larger flavored cigarette.

My second to last analogy is: compare your favorite meal at your favorite restaurant, go home and reproduce it. I'm sure what you have at home will taste fine. But, it won't be the same, the difference will be more than just the flavor too, because maybe you're a very good cook and you get the flavor very close, but you don't know that last secret ingredient; sure, it's close enough that when you do it at home it tastes good. But you still know, the meal from the restaurant is better, it has the secret ingredient that makes it as special as it is, plus you know that the chef who crafted the recipe put time and all sorts of considerations you probably couldn't think of, which make the meal that much more satisfying everytime you have it.

Last analogy: hostess cupcakes are amazing to a 6 year old and even for us occasionally, but we all know, there are many better desserts out there to be had, even all natural and chef produced versions of the hostess cupcake.

Now, I leave you with an example: buy a Drew Estates that tastes like chocolate. Now, smoke a Padron 1926 or '64 or Anniversary Maduro. Guess what, the latter have no chocolate flavoring added, that's just the pure art of blending and growing at work. I have no doubt which one you'll like more too.

Finally, if you just don't like the flavor of tobacco, then cigars aren't for you (not specifying the previous poster, but a generic "you") anyway. There are many, many 3-5 dollar smokes that I find much better than any flavored cigar. But, if you still prefer the flavored, then don't smoke cigars, you'll have a much better time smoking a pipe!

Great post. Pretty much what I was trying to say, although put a little more eloquently.

I can have my opinion that flavored cigars are shit, and state the fact that not many of use here smoke them. Just as you can state your opinion that people who drive "Neons" have bad taste.

So you know what? You keep on enjoying your Drew Estates "Dirt" and "Nasty", and I'll smoke my Padron '64/'26 and aged Cubans.

I can only hope your tastes mature, and you can appreciate a fine cigar. I guess some people like McDonalds, and others would prefer a nice juicy sirloin steak.

Haha...the funny thing is that just before I wrote this I stepped out of a limo after having supper with my family at one of the finer restaurants in Calgary. Not that I do this all the time or am trying to exercise my superiority, but I found it to be rather ironic.

[chefchris]

well, he is bragging about driving a Dodge Neon. i really don't think i need to say more about his taste, but i wish him the best in smoking anyway.

It's a joke between us friends, so watch what you say.

[heftysmokes]

Hey if you like "infused" cigars, all the power to ya. Some wise man once said, "Smoke what you like, like what you smoke."
That being said, the vast majority of the membership here doesn't care for 'em so you're not going to find too many people who will want to converse with you on that particular subject.

And Neons are gay...unless they're supercharged mini death traps, like Drew's. Then they're superfast gaymobiles.

[WOXOF]

now, as far as our Drew Estates disliker earlier in the thread, well, he is bragging about driving a Dodge Neon. i really don't think i need to say more about his taste, but i wish him the best in smoking anyway.

That would be a wise choice.

Hey if you like "infused" cigars, all the power to ya. Some wise man once said, "Smoke what you like, like what you smoke."
That being said, the vast majority of the membership here doesn't care for 'em so you're not going to find too many people who will want to converse with you on that particular subject.

And Neons are gay...unless they're supercharged mini death traps, like Drew's. Then they're superfast gaymobiles.

Now that's funny. The SRT4 is definitely not your average Neon.

[cigarsarge]

now, as far as our Drew Estates disliker earlier in the thread, well, he is bragging about driving a Dodge Neon. i really don't think i need to say more about his taste, but i wish him the best in smoking anyway.

I drive a Tahoe...I hate flavored cigars...What is your point?

[monkeylover]

Ahhhh, my friend, if i were in the same tax bracket as you, i would be enjoying the fine cubans. alas, i am a poor white collar worker and daily cubans are beyond my bank account. i envy your ability to smoke the fine ones.

all i'm saying is that i enjoy the cigars that are made by Drew Estate. they meet my income level and i enjoy them on occassion. i'm also not really sure why someone would not want to smoke a cigar because of the name. if it is an enjoyable smoke to you, then who cares what it is called.

i'm sure my cigar tastes will mature more as i smoke more. whenever i try a new one it's a treat. i have only been smoking them for about 3 years. yes, i do think the neon is a crappola car even though the specs on the SRT-4 are nuts. hot little car, that one. still wouldn't waste the money on it, but i also have little spare income. enjoy your car and your limo in Calgary. i'll enjoy my lunchtime cigar at a coffee shop in SoCal.

good smoking to you, my friend.

[The Korean]

There are many cigars out there that are very good in the same price range as Acids and others from Drew Estate. However, I agree, if you like and enjoy them, then by all means enjoy yourself. INHO tax brackets and ISOMs are not of concern in this, sure an ISOM is are great, but I have far more NC than ISOMs, and even consider some of them better. Just as you wish to not have flavored cigars judge, don't judge other cigars or the individuals who smoke and prefer them.

[monkeylover]

for the record, i don't just smoke flavored/infused cigars. probably only about 5% of them are the acid line. Not all of them are even Drew Estates. i enjoy all of them, though and also enjoy being educated on a new cigar. thanks for all the input, guys. and no offense to someone that drives a crappy neon.